L-Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C, hereinafter, referred to as ‘AA’) which is one of representative components among antioxidants is widely used in medicine, cosmetics, food and beverage industries due to its antioxidant activity through neutralization of its free radicals. It was reported that the advantage of AA when AA is used as a food aid and/or medical active ingredient is to inhibit ZnONPs inhalation which may be generated in the industrial disaster (tire and rubber plants and plant for manufacturing cosmetics) by feeding drinking water adding AA during oxidation procedure of acute lung cells. Vitamin C is commonly used as a major solution in these industries, which cost tens of trillion wons.
AA can be easily degraded essentially by oxidation because of its antioxidant ability. The main factors affecting the oxidation of AA are temperature, pH, oxygen, metal ions, light, enzyme, and the like. In the industries using AA as a main ingredient, the oxidative-degradation property has been recognized as the present question for a long time because said property affects both the storage period and effect of the product due to said property. Therefore, many researches and costs are being invested in developing and discovering new and better methods as well as the understanding of the oxidative-degradation of AA in these industries.
Meanwhile, there are many reasons for promoting aging, but Reactive Oxygen [0004] species (ROS) is accepted as being one of significantly important causes. This active oxygen is indispensably produced in the energy metabolism process, immune response, etc., and it is an unavoidable stimulus which is also caused by the external harmful environment. The active oxygen has very high reactivity and leads to DNA deterioration, excessive signaling causing, protein deterioration, etc., and thus, leads to a series of reactions accumulating harmful effect on health. However, these harmful reactions are made to elaborately maintain their homeostasis by the antioxidant material (uric acid, vit. C, vit B, etc.) or antioxidant enzyme (Glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, catalase, etc.) present in vivo. However, an ageing of the antioxidant system according to endogenous aging and an accumulation of active oxygen by continuous harmful stimulus break such the balance, harm health, promote aging and cause various diseases such as skin diseases, skin cancer, arteriosclerosis and thrombosis (Laure Rittie et al., Ageing Research Reviews, 1, 705-720, 2002; Cutler R G, Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1055, 93-135, 2005).
Accordingly, there are increasing interests in antioxidants that inhibit the formation of active oxygen systems or eliminate the formed active oxygen system. Antioxidants can be divided into two groups: a naturally occurring group in the body and an externally administered group. The naturally occurring group in the body includes enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione, peroxidase, catalase, etc., and the externally administered group includes phytochemicals such as kaempferol, catechin, genistein, etc.; vitamin E, vitamin C and beta-carotene; and minerals such as selenium, etc.
Cells are attacked by free radicals and oxygen free-radicals caused by ultraviolet A (UVA), and ultraviolet B (UVB) irradiated from sunlight, pollutants, stress, smoking, drinking, fatty foods, etc., and if the cells are not properly protected from such substances, they will be aged or dead. In the case of skin, the production of materials such as collagen or elastin, etc. is reduced or denatured by such substances, causing the skin to lose elasticity and to have wrinkles. In order to prevent this, it is known that it is important to prevent the aging of the skin by applying a preparation containing antioxidants such as vitamin A, C, E, etc., to the skin and absorbing it into the skin to prevent oxidation by the harmful active substances. However, synthetic vitamin C has a problem in manufacturing various formulations having a long storage period, due to the problem that it is easily oxidized in the air and its antioxidant effect disappears.
Vitamin C, which has a very high reducing power, reacts very sensitively to substances with high oxidation potential and thus, vitamin C is rapidly oxidized. It is well-known that vitamin C is oxidized and its effect is impaired. Water has a high oxidation potential, so vitamin C is very sensitively reacted with it and is rapidly oxidized.
Therefore, needs for new methods or materials for inhibiting the oxidation of antioxidants, including vitamin C, have existed for a long time.
In addition, the prevention of oxidation of antioxidants using an aptamer is an approach of safe and innovative new concept compared to the conventional methods, and it can be manufactured to maximize the effect by applying it to various industries. In particular, it will be a catalyst for transforming the existing chemical-based cosmetics, nutritional supplements, and food markets into DNA (BIO)-based markets. In the future, it is expected to provide explosive growths and innovative solutions in the DNA markets.